Navy Medicine's education and training director visited Syracuse School District leaders, June 7, and spent time with students and faculty from two local high schools offering health career programs that can lead to an associate's degree.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, commander, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command and director of the Navy Nurse Corps, was at Henninger High School and Public Leadership Academy as part of Navy Week Syracuse.

The Navy's senior nurse discussed medical education and training with teachers and school program managers, and visited three classes to discuss the Navy and Navy Medicine missions with high school students participating in health career, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Navy Junior ROTC programs.

McCormick-Boyle asked the first group of students if they know why the numbers 70, 80 and 90 are important to them and the nation.

"More than 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, 80 percent of the world lives close to a coast, and 90 percent of all world trade by volume travels by water," said McCormick-Boyle. "So, water is very important. Your Navy keeps those waterways free, and your Navy protects and defends you and our nation. That's the Navy's mission."

She also explained Navy Medicine's mission and how it supports the Navy's mission.

"Navy Medicine's job is to keep the Navy and Marine Corps ready, healthy and on the job," she described. "In order for the Navy to do its job protecting you and keeping the sea lanes free, the Sailors have to be healthy."

McCormick-Boyle delivered a brief audio-visual presentation that included video clips which explain how Navy Medicine performs its life-saving mission side-by-side with Marines in combat and with Sailors on, above and below the ocean.

"We take care of our Sailors and Marines on the sea [aboard] ships, above the sea on aircraft, below the sea on submarines, and on the battlefield," she said.

A native of the Buffalo, New York area, McCormick-Boyle shared her personal story and the opportunities Navy Medicine provided her. She described how those opportunities are still available for today's health career students, and she showed a video that described Navy Medicine's humanitarian work -- something Henninger High senior Domonick Clegg said he was unaware of.

"What surprised me the most is how much the Navy helps other nations, not just the United States," Clegg said. "The Navy is a blessing to the world, which is really good."

Clegg wants to become a physical therapist, but he didn't know the Navy has physical therapists.

"I love medicine, and I love exercise, and that's what brought me into medicine," he said. "I didn't know a lot of those options were out there along with a chance to represent this country. Now that I know the Navy has physical therapy, it's something I'll consider."

Robert A. Leslie, Syracuse School District's director for Career and Technical Education, said McCormick-Boyle's trip to Henninger High and Public Leadership Academy was the first for Navy Medicine during his tenure and gave students exposure to another career pathway.

"I think it was great, especially knowing that our program here applies directly to the skills the students would need to join Navy Medicine," Leslie said. "It was also great for them to learn about another opportunity that is out there."

Navy Week Syracuse is being held through June 12 and coincides with the Syracuse International Air Show. Sailors from across the Navy are teaming with Navy Medicine to participate in as many as 100 outreach events coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in Syracuse. These efforts allow the Syracuse community to get up close and personal with the people who are today's U.S. Navy.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Navy Medicine Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.